Big Alkali Lake WMA: hunting, rules and access
Big Alkali Lake WMA is 889 acres of Game and Parks land, centered about 17 miles south of Valentine, in Cherry County and the Sandhills deer unit. Atlas note: Snowmobiles and ATVs allowed on ice. Campground with electrical hookups.
Data updated October 2026. Game and Parks' 2026-27 Public Access Atlas and property layer; OFW 2026-27.
Game and Parks landNational wildlife refuge or WPAOpen Fields and WatersBig Alkali Lake WMAOther WMAsDeer unit lineLakeHighway
| Acres | 889 (Game and Parks); 930 inside the mapped boundary |
|---|---|
| District and atlas sheet | NW, map sheet 15 |
| County | Cherry |
| Deer unit | Sandhills |
| On Game and Parks' records since | 1964 |
What are the rules on Big Alkali Lake WMA?
The 2026-27 atlas: Snowmobiles and ATVs allowed on ice. Campground with electrical hookups.
Source: Game and Parks' 2026-27 Public Access Atlas, area index (PDF page 116).
Which deer unit is Big Alkali Lake WMA in?
The Sandhills deer unit, 7,806 square miles, with 1,812 deer taken across the whole unit in 2025. The Sandhills unit has special rules in the Big Game Guide (page 19).
Unit Buck permits for the Sandhills unit in 2026: Sandhills 1,200 (1 AD2, sold out R - Nov. 11, NR - DRAW in 2025), Private Land Sandhills 200 (1 AD2, sold out July 29 in 2025) and Sandhills WT 300 (1 WT, sold out Nov. 12 in 2025) (Game and Parks' 2026 Big Game Guide, page 13).
Harvest: Game and Parks' 2026 Big Game Recommendations.
What public and walk-in land is near Big Alkali Lake WMA?
Within five miles: 4,589 acres of national wildlife refuge or WPA and 2,884 acres of Game and Parks land (this area included), and no OFW walk-in land. Nearest WMAs: Ballards Marsh WMA (2.1 mi), Schlagel Creek WMA (3.6 mi) and Rat and Beaver Lake WMA (10.9 mi).
Measured by FilledTag from USGS PAD-US 4.1 and Game and Parks Open Fields and Waters, 2026-2027.
How do you get to Big Alkali Lake WMA?
Highways within five miles, longest stretch first: US 83.
| Town | Miles from the boundary | Direction from the area |
|---|---|---|
| Valentine | 16 | north |
| Wood Lake | 18 | east |
| Crookston | 20 | north |
| Kilgore | 26 | northwest |
| Johnstown | 27 | east |
Questions hunters ask
Are there special rules on Big Alkali Lake WMA?
Yes. The 2026-27 atlas says: Snowmobiles and ATVs allowed on ice. Campground with electrical hookups.
Where is Big Alkali Lake WMA?
Its middle is about 17 miles south of Valentine, in Cherry County and the Sandhills deer unit.
How big is Big Alkali Lake WMA?
889 acres by Game and Parks' count; 930 acres inside the boundary on Game and Parks' map.
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Sources: Game and Parks' 2026-27 Public Access Atlas; Game and Parks properties (WMAs, recreation areas, parks); USGS PAD-US 4.1; Game and Parks Open Fields and Waters, 2026-2027; Game and Parks' 2026 Big Game Recommendations. General WMA rules: all WMAs. FilledTag is not part of Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.